VEB Leasing signs MoU for 30 MC-21s

Irkut has signed a memorandum of understanding with VEB Leasing, a subsidiary of Russian-based Vnesheconombank, for 15 firm and 15 optional MC-21 narrowbody airliners. The signing took place on Monday and the Russian airframer’s CEO, Oleg Demchenko, promised more contracts will come here at the show.

Meanwhile, Irkut parent company United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) and Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov are considering a merger. Both parties are making progress and an audit is to start in October, UAC CEO Alexey Fedorov said during a press conference. Antonov will probably be integrated into one of UAC’s units, a process that will take at least 12 to 18 months, starting with marketing and after-sales branches.

Fedorov promised that the 75- to 100-seat Superjet 100, which is built by Sukhoi–another UAC firm–will not have to compete with the Antonov An-148/158, which has a slightly lower seating capacity but still falls in the 100-seat class. He explained that the Superjet 100 and the An-158 will be offered to different geographical markets.

In military activities, this year Irkut and India’s HAL are to finalize the details of a joint venture to build a transport aircraft, he reported. He also said Algeria has exercised an option for 16 more Su-30MK fighters, and production of Yak-130 trainers for that country is also under way.